8 Reasons to Get Citi’s American Airlines Business Card Before the 70,000 Mile Offer Gets Pulled

I receive compensation for content and many links on this blog. You don’t have to use these links, but I am grateful to you if you do. American Express, Citibank, Chase, Capital One and other banks are advertising partners of this site. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by my advertising partners. I do not write about all credit cards that are available -- instead focusing on miles, points, and cash back (and currencies that can be converted into the same).

There’s a better offer than I’ve ever seen before for the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®. It’s a card I picked up myself for the bonus miles, which is useful because there’s no longer a great way to earn miles through another credit card and transfer those miles to American. And for all of my criticisms, there’s no mileage currency I wind up spending more often than my AAdvantage miles.

70,000 bonus miles the initial offer for this card is the biggest I’ve ever seen, 70,000 AAdvantage miles after spending $4,000 within the first 4 months of account opening.

Flying business class from the US to Southeast Asia also costs 70,000 miles — and you can fly carriers including Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, and Cathay Pacific.

Cathay Pacific

It’s almost live having Gold status, but without the upgrades Golds rarely get anyway. The card offers first checked bag on domestic American Airlines itineraries and preferred boarding on American flights.

No annual fee the first year so the initial bonus doesn’t come with the card’s $99 annual fee, and the other card benefits like free checked bags and boarding privileges don’t either.

First class awards. AAdvantage miles are great if you want to redeem for international first class because they have some of the best airlines in the world as their partners, airlines that offer an international first class product, and that make first class available to partners on points.

I’ve been fortunate to regularly redeem my miles for Qantas first class, Cathay Pacific first class, and Etihad first class — not to mention that first class is available on Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, and British Airways.

Qantas First Class

Doesn’t add to 5/24 Citibank business cards you carry aren’t reported to your personal credit so do not count towards Chase’s 5/24 restrictions. You can get this card without pushing up that numerator.

Can get personal and business from both Citi and Barclays Miles you earn from this offer aren’t the end of the story. Citibank has a personal AAdvantage card too and American also partners with Barclays for its co-branded credit cards. As I’ve frequently heard flight attendants remind customers on flights, you can get AAdvantage cards from both Citi and Barclays. That’s four cards you can get earning the same mileage currency.

No credit cards earn American AAdvantage miles faster. Delta and United have bank partners whose own products earn points faster than the co-brands do, where it makes sense to put your spending on another card and then transfer (from Amex) to Delta or (from Chase) to United. However there’s no bank card out there that earns American AAdvantage miles faster.

The card earns 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines flights, telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants and at gas stations. This isn’t my go to card for spending but it’s an improved rate and the best earning for AAdvantage miles.

Anecdotally easy to get I’ve had this card in the past but I was approved without difficulty when I wanted to take advantage of this offer after it came out. That’s 70,000 more miles in my pocket.

More From View from the Wing

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

Editorial note: any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Comments made in response to this post are not provided or commissioned nor have they been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any bank. It is not the responsibility of any advertiser to ensure that questions are answered, either. Terms and limitations apply to all offers.

I think the Citi anti churn rules are less restrictive but more difficult to work with to make sure you don’t apply, get approved, do the min spend and then get told your not eligible for the bonus because of a card in that citi card family you forgot you opened or closed in past 24 months.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.

Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

View from the Wing is a project of Miles and Points Consulting, LLC. This site is for entertainment purpose only. The owner of this site is not an investment advisor, financial planner, nor legal or tax professional and articles here are of an opinion and general nature and should not be relied upon for individual circumstances.

Advertiser Disclosure: Many (but not all) of the credit card offers on the site are from banks from which we receive compensation if you are approved. Compensation does not impact the placement of cards in content. Banner advertising, in contrast, is paid for by advertisers (we do not directly control the banner advertising on this blog).

I don't include all US credit card offers available on this site. Instead, I write primarily about cards which earn airline miles, hotel points, and some cash back (or have points that can be converted into the same).

Editorial Note: The opinions, analyses, and evaluations here are mine and not provided by any bank including (but not limited to) American Express, Chase, Citibank, US Bank, Barclays or any other company. They have not reviewed, approved or endorsed what I have to say.

Comments made in response to posts are not provided or commissioned nor have they been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any bank. It is not the responsibility of any advertiser to ensure that questions are answered.